Carl
10-03-1999, 05:57 AM
Here in LA, you get to see some nice cars on the road. Unfortunately, these cars often are captained by some of the worst drivers in the country. While I was taking my new A4 for a pleasure-ride today (as opposed to a joy-ride; I was just enjoying the drive, not racing up and down the street), I almost got hit by one of them.
It was on a 2-lane street. I was in the outer lane. The road had a moderately sharp left-hand curve up ahead, and right at the entrance to the curve, the outer lane forked into another lane going straight onto a side street and it's separated by a small triangular island. Anyway, as I approached the curve, I noticed a Mercedes (didn't recognize what it was - all I know is that it was huge, yacht on wheels as it were) in the inner lane going slow and hesitant. I slowed down a bit to watch what the moron would do. Sure enough, right before we entered the curve he tried to cut over to take the exit onto the straight in my lane, effectively pinning me between where I wanted to go (which was to continue into the curve) and the traffic island. Luckily there was no one behind me, so I was able to steer right into the exit to the straight to avoid a collision. At the same time I was doing the manuveur, I blasted my horn at the idiot 2-3 times. I see the Mercedes behind me, and I made a U-turn not only to get back to where I was going, but also just to get out of his way!
Point of the story: I wish it was some celebratory tale of how I was able to get myself out of a jam with the brilliance and manuveurability of the Quattro (thank goodness it didn't come to that). However, it is about how I found one more thing to like about the A4: the horn! I've only had the car for a week, and it was the very first time I had to use it. But it's placed right where it should be so I didn't have to hunt for it when I needed it, and it had a nice tactile feel to it. I even liked the sound! :-)
Oh yeah, the guy didn't signal his intent to cut me off. If he had, I would have let him go. He probably thought that his car was bigger, ergo all other cars must yield to him. Sigh.
Carl
Defensive Driver
99.5 2.8QMS :-)
It was on a 2-lane street. I was in the outer lane. The road had a moderately sharp left-hand curve up ahead, and right at the entrance to the curve, the outer lane forked into another lane going straight onto a side street and it's separated by a small triangular island. Anyway, as I approached the curve, I noticed a Mercedes (didn't recognize what it was - all I know is that it was huge, yacht on wheels as it were) in the inner lane going slow and hesitant. I slowed down a bit to watch what the moron would do. Sure enough, right before we entered the curve he tried to cut over to take the exit onto the straight in my lane, effectively pinning me between where I wanted to go (which was to continue into the curve) and the traffic island. Luckily there was no one behind me, so I was able to steer right into the exit to the straight to avoid a collision. At the same time I was doing the manuveur, I blasted my horn at the idiot 2-3 times. I see the Mercedes behind me, and I made a U-turn not only to get back to where I was going, but also just to get out of his way!
Point of the story: I wish it was some celebratory tale of how I was able to get myself out of a jam with the brilliance and manuveurability of the Quattro (thank goodness it didn't come to that). However, it is about how I found one more thing to like about the A4: the horn! I've only had the car for a week, and it was the very first time I had to use it. But it's placed right where it should be so I didn't have to hunt for it when I needed it, and it had a nice tactile feel to it. I even liked the sound! :-)
Oh yeah, the guy didn't signal his intent to cut me off. If he had, I would have let him go. He probably thought that his car was bigger, ergo all other cars must yield to him. Sigh.
Carl
Defensive Driver
99.5 2.8QMS :-)